Community Development Programme

Nepal Red Cross Society has been implementing Community Development Programme (CDP) since 1983. At first it focused its activities on health services promotion. Letter on the Society expanded CD projects with the objective of meeting basic needs of the people. Recently, it focuses on reduction of socio-economic vulnerability of community people. So far CDP has been implemented in 43 districts with different approaches and among them 31 districts have been already phased out. At present CDP is being implemented in 12 districts.

From 2008, CDP is being implementing in Operational Alliance (OA) model and its activities are guided by the OA Manual and CDP Policy and Procedures.

Specific Objectives of CDP

Socio-economic vulnerability of the targeted communities is reduced and their self reliance increased

The basic health and economic status of the most vulnerable communities are improved

The capacity of community organizations and NRCS at all levels is strengthened and quality services expanded

Principles

Targeted towards vulnerable communities

Capacity building of individuals, communities and organizations

Active participation stakeholders

Sustainability of the programmes

Implementation of programmes through co-ordination

Maximum use of local resources and skill

Replication of programme activities in other areas

Flexibility in programme implementation

Maximum mobilization of volunteers

Strategies

Capacity building of community, community organizations and Red Cross

Development of sustainability measures at the beginning of the project

Non–formal Education (NFE): Focusing on women and children, NFE includes Child, Adult, Post literacy and REFLECT classes. Local resource persons are trained to conduct the classes. Literacy management committee formed in the community monitors and manages literacy classes.

Drinking Water, Health and sanitation: To reduce water born diseases, epidemics, morbidity and mortality rate in the community, the programme focuses on software components like awareness generation and they are followed by hardware components like construction of drinking water schemes and sanitary units. Local health volunteers are trained and mobilized to increase awareness on health and sanitation.

Self help: making people (focusing women) financially independent. Self-help activities contribute to strengthen the capacity of people's (focused on women and marginalized groups) financial capacity in particular, and help them to be self- reliant. These include group formation, savings collection and credit extension, skills development with relevant training courses, workshops and awareness generation and linkage building with the concerned line agencies.

Organizational development and Capacity building: CDP focuses on activities of organizational development of NRCS for strengthening the foundation, capacity and performance of all levels of NRCS and community organisations. These activities include improvement in organizational structures, systems and procedures, development of leadership, management and governance. These also include mobilization of financial and human resources through training plus financial and technical support.